


Is That Cool With You? - Zuckles

by americanaspacecadet



Category: Gay baby gang, The Misfits (Podcast)
Genre: Christmas Parties, Drug Use, FEEL THE LOVE DAMMIT, Fluff and Angst, Laser Tag, Multi, New years!, OFFICIAL PLAYLIST, Panic Attacks, Parties, Past Abuse, Pool Party, and ex boyfriends, chicken fight!, duh - Freeform, existing is rough, i actually cried when i finished this, mason is a sap okay let me live, people suck, shitty ex girlfriends, week before christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 15:58:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18264626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/americanaspacecadet/pseuds/americanaspacecadet
Summary: you’ve just been hired onto the misfits team - congrats! you’re welcomed into the shiny brand new editing position by the whole gang. but something - or someone - is a bit more curious than the rest of the boys. his name? mason bradford. and he’s going to turn your world upside down.i hope you all enjoy reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it.





	1. moving up (and moving on)

**Author's Note:**

> WELCOME ONE AND ALL, TO A PIECE THAT TOOK SECONDS UNDER TWO WEEKS TO COMPLETE -
> 
> but yeah, i legit cried after i finished it lol
> 
> feel free to leave kudos, comments, and more!
> 
> official playlist can be found HERE: https://open.spotify.com/user/stumplette_band_n3rd/playlist/2Hs3A0N1fvCGvttcmXnvhE?si=yUhWzN5nTWy-pgThEkWFCg
> 
> love y'all!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> time to be free.

.. june 18th, 2020 ..

_“Would you just let go of me?”_

_“I’ll let you go when I put you in the fucking ground, you worthless -”_

An alarm blares from her bedside table, pulling her from the nightmare to reality. Y/N slams her hand onto the clock, silencing the sound. Her subconscious tainted, she leaves her bed - only to trip over her backpack. Swearing, she tosses it onto the bed and dresses in her orange Misfits hoodie (courtesy of Swagger), charcoal grey sweatpants, and black fuzzy socks. Shambling out to the dining room, her mood lifts slightly at both the warm bacon and eggs resting on the kitchen table - and her dad waving at her from the kitchen.

“Did you sleep at all last night? I could hear you tapping away at your keyboard until I fell asleep.” Her dad jabs, setting a hot tea kettle on a cooler burner.

Y/N pours a mug of hot water and honey, dropping a decaf green tea bag inside. “About two hours. Swagger managed to get me in first class for all of my flights, so hopefully, I can catch up on what I missed.”

“Good, good. You know, I’m really proud of you,” Her dad praises. “You’ve just turned 18 and you’re already moving halfway across the world for your dreams. I can’t wait to see what you create.”

Y/N gives her dad a watery smile, her throat tight with unshed tears as she admires her nearly unchanged childhood home. “I can’t believe I’m actually doing it. It feels like a dream.”

Her dad ruffles her hair and sends her to the kitchen table. “Eat up, kiddo. You’ve got some long flights ahead of you.”

 

After breakfast is inhaled, Y/N wanders back to her old room, looking at the bare walls longingly.

“Even after all these years, I still feel right at home in this room,” She mumbles, hefting her backpack on from the floor. A few spare tears leak out from her eyes, quickly swept away by shaking hands. “I’m really going to miss you, Dad.”

Her dad leans in the doorway. “I’ll miss you too. But there’s always video calls, and you can always come home. I’m just a few flights away.”

Tears pour from her eyes now, and she tightly wraps her arms around her dad. He hugs her back, becoming the rock to lean on that he always knew he could be.

“Now, let’s do this,” He sighs, a warm smile on his old face. “You ready to fly, little bird?”

 

Once the last tearful goodbyes were said, and she watched her dad drive away from the terminal, she knew that there was no going back. Clambering through the TSA was no issue, but the antagonizing wait was the killer. With nothing to do but wait, she called Swagger.

“Hey, Y/N! Just the lady I wanted to hear from. How are you?”

“I’m exhausted as shit, mate,” Y/N jokes, Swagger’s laugh echoing on the other end. “It’s 5:30am here and I can’t wait to get these flights over with so I can finally see you scuffed fuckers in person.”

“Everyone’s really excited for you to get here. Your stuff got here yesterday, so all your boxes of shit are currently sitting smack in the middle of your floor. We gave you a bed, a dresser, a desk, a bookshelf, and there’s a built-in closet.”

“Sounds awesome, Swags. Where’s my room in the house?”

“We put you next door to Mason. I hope that’s alright with you. Actually, you really don’t have a choice - Cam picked the only other empty room in the house.”

“It’s all good, dude. I’m sure Mason and I will get along just fine.”

“You say that now - _get your hands off the phone, Mason!_ ” Swagger yells away from the phone, Mason’s manic laughter bubbling out of the speaker. “- but you might change your mind.”

“Mason’s there? Let me talk to him, dude!”

“Alright, fine!” Swagger barks, his voice growing faint. “ _Here you go you fuckin’ ape, now keep your goddamn hands off -_ ”

“Y/N!” Mason hollers into the microphone, making Y/N pull the device away from her ear. “I can’t wait for you to get here! Imagine all the trouble we can get into!”

She laughs, watching as her departure time ticks ever closer. “Real smart of you to say that with Swagger right next to you, Mason.”

He lets out a startled noise, and a loud clatter follows as he scampers to hide in the bathroom. “Don’t mind the noise, just knocked over a chair. Anyway, I seriously can’t wait. It’s been lovely talking with you over the internet for the past year, and I think meeting you in person is just gonna tie it all together.”

“Damn bro, getting sappy on me.”

“I - wh - never!”

“Haha big dumb idiot, now give Swagger his phone back. I need to discuss a couple more things with him before my flight leaves.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright,” Mason grumbles, his voice fading as he leans away from the phone. “ _Y/N wants to talk with you again!_ ”

“ _Thank you, you dumb bitch! I thought I’d never get my phone out of your slimy little hands. Give it here._ Hey!”

“Hey, Swags. Listen, uh, how am I gonna get to the house? I feel like we discussed this but I just can’t remember for the life of me.”

“Oh, the whole crew is coming along to pick you up from the airport. Just look for a giant sign that says ‘scuffed crew’ and you’ll see us.”

“Not gonna put my name or ‘Y/T/N’ ?”

“Nah. Who knows how many fans might be at the airport? We want to be as discreet as possible, that way we can get home nice and easy.”

“That’s fair. Hey, listen dude, I’d love to keep talking with you, but I’m gonna be flying for the next few hours, and my flight’s boarding as we speak,” Y/N chirps, slinging her backpack back on. “I’ll send selfies from each airport.”

“Alright dude, see you in a day!”

Turning airplane mode on, She stuffs her phone into her pocket, flashes her travel slip, and boards the plane.


	2. three cheers (for the rocketeer)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's plane time, babey!

.. 6:00am ..

**_GRR ⟶ OHI_ **

**_1h 5m later..._ **

Stepping off of the plane, Y/N trudges towards the Starbucks and invests in yet another green tea. Quickly finishing it off, she snaps a quick picture under the airport logo and sends it to the group chat. An intense wave of ‘GET HERE FASTER’ lights up her phone screen, making her laugh. She types back a quick ‘trying my best! headed to the next flight.’ before boarding her plane to LAX.

**_OHI ⟶ LAX_ **

**_4h 37m later..._ **

Tumbling off of the plane, Y/N signs in relief as she realizes she actually has time to explore the shops around the airport. Picking her way around the airport, she laughs in delight as she stumbles upon the ‘I Love LA’ store. Walking in, she’s hit with the smell of polyester t-shirts, sunscreen, and the blaring sight of coffee mugs and maps. Quickly buying an ‘I Love LA’ shirt for Swagger, she packs it carefully into her bag, sends a selfie under the LAX sign, and boards her next flight.

**_LAX ⟶ HNL_ **

**_6h 10m later..._ **

“Swagger, I am so goddamn tired, you don’t even know.”

“Nice to hear from you as well,” Swagger retorts, his grin evident in his voice. “Have you left the airports at all?”

“Nah, I tend to stick close just in case. Picked you up a little something though.”

“Oh, a present? What is it?”

“You’re gonna have to wait for that detail. What time is it for you guys? It’s 8am here in Honolulu, and it’s about 12pm back home.”

“Yeah, it’s about 5am here. We’re headed to the airport in a little while, if I planned this right. You’re boarding about now to get to Sydney, right? Soon we’ll finally be on the same time zone!”

“God, that’s a thrilling prospect. And, yes, you’re right. I have to board in about 5 minutes. I’ll take another picture, and then I’m hitting the final stretch! God, I am _buzzing_ with excitement. Either that, or all the caffeine from all this tea is kicking in.”

“Go get some rest, Y/N. We’ll see you very soon!”

“See you in a few, Swags.”

Stepping into the plane, she quickly sits in a seat, sending a picture before settling in.

**_HNL ⟶ SYD_ **

**_10h 20m later..._ **

“Guess who’s in Sydney?”

Mason howls on the other end, his excitement palpable. “Just an hour away! I’ve been driving Swagger nuts all day today, so I’m sure he’ll appreciate when you finally get here.”

“Oh, that poor man,” Y/N croons, eyes bright with wonder as she stares out at the glowing city. “Tell him I feel no sympathy.”

“ _Wow, thanks Y/N!_ ” Swagger yells from the background, making Mason laugh along with a few others.

“You’re on speaker, by the way, so anything you say can and will be held against you.” Mason orders, the laugh bubbling out of him too quickly to let his phrase be taken seriously.

“Wow, I’m terrified. Hey, it’s nearly time for me to go. Anything y’all want to tell me before I take my final flight?”

Slight shuffling can be heard on the other end of the line, along with the closing of a door, Swagger’s voice low in the microphone. “I just wanted to tell you, one on one, that I really am glad you’re coming to live with us. Mason’s been in a major funk ever since his girlfriend ditched him, so I think some platonic female influence is really gonna do him some good.”

Y/N's heart drops. “Gemma left Mason? He hasn’t shown any signs!”

Swagger sighs, starting to pace the room. “Yeah, it’s hard to tell when he’s talking to you, a _positive_ female influence. He usually stays cooped up in his room when you aren’t online.”

“Jesus, I had no idea.”

“That’s pretty much what he wanted, I think,” He mumbles. “Wants to look like some big tough guy, especially with your empathetic qualities.”

“God, I really hope I can make a difference, y’know? Mason’s such a damn sweetheart. Bring me back to the others, will you? I want to say goodbye before I go. I’ve got about 3 minutes.”

“Yeah, sure,” Swagger complies, shuffling into the other room. “ _Come say goodbye, losers!_ ”

A loud chorus of goodbyes tumble through the speaker, making Y/N laugh. Sending love, she hangs up, flashes her ticket one last time, and boards the plane.

**_SYD ⟶ MEL_ **

**_1h 35m later..._ **

Blinking the blurriness from her eyes, her heart leaps as the plane touches down on the runway. Shuffling off of the plane, she squints as she looks for the infamous sign. Wandering further, her heart clogs her throat as her new family comes into focus, the roughly made "scuffed crew" sign practically fifty feet in the air thanks to Cam. Breaking into a sprint, she bobs and weaves through what feels like a hundred people before leaping into Swagger's tight embrace.

“It's you guys! I'm finally here!” Y/N cries, wrapping every one of them in a rib-cracking hug.

“It's so good to finally have you here,” Toby smiles, patting her back. “I thought Swagger was going to boil over with stress.”

“Yeah, he’d keep checking his phone in case of any delays or other incidents.” Matt jokes, making Swagger yell at him about how he was just as worried.

While everyone connected, Mason hung in the background, his heart skipping wildly around in his chest. He had seen Y/N before, both in group calls and in photos, but they _never_ did her justice. Her H/C hair shone under the fluorescent lights, and her E/C eyes glimmered like the clearest parts of the ocean - he was enamored, and he _knew_ it wouldn’t be good.

“Mason?” Y/N chirps, ripping him from his daze. “Do I get a hug from my favorite guy?”

He grins a thousand-kilowatt smile, scooping her off the ground and spinning in a dizzy circle. She laughs, the sound ringing like a silver bell.

“You kids ready to go? The van is waiting outside, and I’m sure Y/N is anxious to get home.” Jay teases, walking towards the sliding glass doors.

Y/N grins excitedly. “Cam, how much pleading do I need to do for a piggy-back ride?”

Cam laughs, kneeling down. “First one’s on the house! I might make you pay for more in the future, though.”

“You would _never!_ ”

“Don’t you dare doubt my entrepreneurial abilities, Y/N!”

The two laugh, Y/N clambering onto Cam’s back and holding tight. With a big ‘yeehaw!’, they sprint through the doors, Y/N nearly smashing her head on the doorframe. The rest of the crew brings up the rear, laughing all the way.

 

“And, finally, the last door on the left is your room!” Swagger says, opening the off-white door to let Y/N in.

“Holy _shit_ , this place looks amazing,” She cries, with eyes wide and a grin that could light a stadium. “You guys really outdid yourselves.”

Her small feet come in contact with a plush grey carpet and a small decorative rug that reads ‘welcome home’, her gaze wandering from the soft blue walls to the large bay window overlooking the pool, the bookshelf standing tall next to it. A neatly made twin bed sits in the corner opposite the window, the pale peach sheets glowing in the midafternoon sun. The oak dresser is planted in the other far corner, covered in different odds and ends the boys picked up, along with the similar desk. In the wall next to the door, the closet sits empty, spare for a small navy blue box.

Swagger clears his throat once Y/N picks up the box. “Your mom sent that one. Said she wanted you to have it once you finally made it here.”

An odd expression slides across her features before she opens the box. Peering inside, she drops to her knees and cries.

“Ashes?”

She sets the box on the bed and wipes her eyes. “My old cat passed away a few weeks before I got here. My uncle told me that when she eventually passed, he’d allow my parents to collect her and decide what to do with her.” She pulls out a crystal green box and a small black bag. “God, I really miss her.”

Swagger joins her on the floor, and places an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her in a dorky sibling-like hug. “It’ll be alright, Y/N. You’ve got all of us here. I promise you, she’ll be okay up there.”

She gives him a shaky smile. “Thanks, Eric. Really. Now, how do you feel about helping with making this room mine?"

Swagger stands up, holding out his hand. “I’d be honored. Let’s do this!”

 

Following an hour and a half of both decorating and belting out random songs that would appear in Y/N's Spotify playlists, the room stands completely decorated. Her closet sits full, and the bay window now sports a cushion and a few books. From her childhood stuffed animal tucked under the covers and photo plastered cork boards on the walls to band posters and fairy lights, the room makes her feel completely at home, even if she was thousands of miles away.

“Thanks again for helping me.”

Swagger turns to her, a fond look in his eyes. “Anything for a new member of the family. I really think this is going to be good for everyone here.”

“I do too.”

“Oi, cunts,” Mason barks from the hallway, his steps like thunder. “Pool party! Get changed, let’s go! Party until the sun rises!”

Y/N and Swagger both break down laughing, Mason’s lack of grace ever present no matter the situation.

“See you soon, then,” Y/N says, shutting the curtains on the bay window. “I’m gonna knock these boys’ socks off.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Y/N.” Swagger replies, a dangerous smirk plastering itself across his smug face.


	3. summer in the sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> real pool hours!!

.. 7:45pm ..

With music blaring from various speakers, the bar fully stocked, and the party lights aglow across the patio, the party had been in full swing since four in the afternoon. Yet, Y/N still lingers on the edge of the pool, wrapped in an opaque gray cover-up.

“Come on, Y/N, we’re gonna play Chicken! You have to join us!” Matt calls, his hair drenched after being dunked several times by Swagger.

“No, it’s alright, I-”

“Nope, not even gonna let you finish that sentence,” Mason interrupts, drifting across the shallow end before appearing at Y/N's feet. “Come on darling, just a couple rounds?”

Y/N's heart races without a second thought, alarming her greatly. “Alright, fine, I’ll join.”

The crew cheers, gathering around the deep end of the pool. Y/N sighs, and slowly takes off her cover-up, laughing when they let out obnoxiously overdone wolf whistles. Stepping up to the edge, she acts as though she’s about to walk away before twirling back around and flipping into the water. Surfacing once again, she laughs at the shock on their faces.

“Get owned, losers!”

Famous last words - the group leaps on her at once, absolutely dunking Y/N. She resurfaces, sputtering and howling in mock anger. Splitting off into teams, Jay stands back up on deck to be the announcer.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you: The first annual Chicken Fight! Six teams will fight hand and water to best their opponents, and win the grand prize: Bragging Rights!”

The group screams into the night sky, the intoxicating glow of the stars sprinkled above them fueling their excitement.

“First up, YTNZuckles versus iTele! Fighters, mount your brave steeds, and stand on opposing sides of the shallow end,” Jay instructs, moving to his announcer/referee position. “Remember: No punching, no biting, and no titty grabbing!”

“Dammit, Jay, you’ve taken out the best part! I wanted to grab Matt’s titties!” Y/N shouts, laughter bursting from the compound.

“Behave, Y/N! You just got here! Now, on three, you battle!”

“One..”

Mason tenses below Y/N, his strong hands comfortably tight on her thighs.

“Two..”

Matt snarls playfully at Y/N, her growl in return startling him.

“THREE!”

The fight begins immediately, Matt and Y/N locking hands in an instant. They push violently against each other, muscles straining from the tense battle. The rest of the crew cheers from the sidelines, the volume growing as the fight continues. Then, in a brilliant and blinding splash, Y/N is thrown from Mason’s shoulders.

“Get _dunked!_ ” Matt yells, high-fiving Toby. The two teams fist bump, and the next two swim to the ring.

“Next up, FitzOnTheTele versus SwaggerYTN!”

Swagger winks at Y/N before hoisting her up onto his shoulders. “You ready to hand Cameron and Toby’s asses to them on a silver platter?”

Y/N grins. “Revenge is a dish best served waterlogged.”

“One..”

Toby locks eyes with Swagger, playful aggression radiating off of her.

“Two..”

Cameron blows a kiss to Y/N, to which he receives a loving middle finger.

“THREE!”

The four Misfits clash, water turbulent and grips tight. Y/N's eyes suddenly gain a mischievous glow, and she pries her hands out of Cam’s grasp, wraps her legs under Swagger’s arms, and shoves Cam off of Toby’s shoulders, a panicked yell the only sound to escape from Cam before he plunges into the water. Swagger and Y/N let out terrifying screeches and aggressively high five before ragging on Cam and Toby.

“In our third battle, we have previous victors iTele versus GoodGuySouls! Lady and Gentlemen, please take your positions...”

Swimming up to where Mason sits on the edge of the pool, Y/N shimmies up onto the lip before leaning towards Mason.

“Who do you think is gonna win?”

Mason hums, trying to get his pulse to relax so he can answer without stuttering. “I’ve got to say... Cam and Swagger. I mean, you and Swagger won last round.”

Y/N nods. “I think Matt and Toby are gonna get the dub this time around. Matt’s been on a roll lately when it comes to winning, so that’s my bet.”

Mason laughs. “Alright, if you say-”

“Get _OWNED_ , Swagger!”

Y/N looks up at Mason, a smug grin on her face. “Bet you’re happy you didn’t bet any money, ain’tcha?”

“Shut up, Y/N.”

“In our penultimate battle, I bring you our four most victorious: SwaggerYTN, and ZuckNotorious!”

“Get ready to have your ass handed to you, Mason.” Swagger barks, a sharp grin glazed on his features.

“Fat chance, motherfucker!”

“One..”

Swagger gives Matt the double finger, then grips Y/N's legs like a lifeline.

“Two..”

Y/N winks at Mason, throwing him off his rhythm...

“THREE!”

And then catapults the hopeless romantic into the water.

“Mason, what the fuck were you doing up there?!” Matt cries, his hands flying around wildly.

“You really exploited that poor boy, didn’t you Y/N?” Swagger scolds, making Y/N snort.

“What can I say,” She purrs, making the group look at her. “I like to play dirty.”

Winking at Mason once again, he about trips over himself getting to the bar. Swagger chuckles, the low rumble traveling like waves through his body.

“You are _dangerous_ , Y/N, you know that?”

She gives her best innocent smile. “I try my best.”

“Alright warriors, this is the final battle for the ultimate prize: Bragging Rights. I bring to you our most vicious fighters: iTele and SwaggerYTN!”

Cameron and Mason cheer from behind the bar, Mason’s eyes locked onto Y/N. He holds his breath, begging for her to kick Matt’s ass.

“One..”

“Two..”

Y/N blows a kiss to Mason.

“THREE!”

Y/N's strong hands grip Matt’s shoulders, wrestling him around to try and make him just unstable enough to where Swagger could tip Toby. Feeling Toby start to slide thanks to Swagger, Y/N gives one final push and rockets Matt into the water. Mason and Cameron cheer from behind the bar, dragging Swagger and Y/N over in front of a makeshift victory banner to take Instagram and Twitter pictures.

 

‘New editor Y/N handed Matt his own ass for once during a chicken fight!!’

And her Instagram and Twitter blew up.


	4. i will try (to fix you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> real ouchie hours.

.. august 19th, 2020 ..

Shouts echo from every corner of the house, the aggressive tapping of keys and controllers the undertone of the excited atmosphere.

“Swags, on your right!”

Gunfire pops in Y/N's ears as Swagger decimates another enemy. “Yeet!”

The crew cheers as the round completes, the Misfits in the top rankings. Scanning over her software, Y/N aligns a few switches and types a couple commands before rejoining the party.

“So I read something on Mason’s video the other day,” Swagger starts, the bravado in his voice hinting at a story. “I thought it was pretty interesting.”

“Is that so,” Y/N asks, sprinting around the corner of a building and taking out an enemy.

“Yeah. They cracked a joke that you and Mason sound like an old married couple.”

Mason utters a choked noise, his focus fracturing. “That must be a pretty shit marriage. All I remember is arguing with Y/N the whole time.”

“I was right the whole time! You’re just a buffoon who can’t accept that it was my turn on the Xbox, yet you literally _picked me up and tossed me onto the other side of the couch!_ ”

Swagger laughs, taking out another enemy. “You guys are just proving their point!”

“No! An old married couple would one: not be playing the Xbox and two: would not be flinging their spouse!”

Y/N lets out a screech as she takes out three enemies in a row, sliding around another corner to defuse the bomb in the far corner of the map. A shout of victory bubbles out of her as she successfully disarms the bomb, causing the rest of the boys to riot along with her.

“I’m gonna call this session a solid dub, boys.”

Mason laughs. “Nerd.”

“No you, bitch.”

The group ends the video, shutting down the software and turning back to the discord call. They send Y/N the files, and she ends up editing late into the night. Finally closing the program around 2am, she falls into bed - only to wake up in a cold sweat just two hours later. Gingerly shifting to the edge of her bed, she sets her face in her hands to try and steady her breathing. Standing up, she leaves her room and paces through the house, trying to calm down and familiarize herself with everything.

“Okay, five things I can see... the couch, the plants outside, the counter, the fireplace, and Swagger’s helmet,” She whispers, a slight tremor to her voice. She takes a deep breath and continues counting down. “Four things I can feel... the carpet, the railing...”

She walks herself through the phases, finally coming to a stop once she reaches Mason’s door. She hesitates for a moment, holding her breath as she knocks on the door.

“Mm - Hello?”

“Can I come in? It’s Y/N.”

The rustle of bed sheets can be heard from the other side of the door before it opens, and a bleary-eyed, glasses wearing Mason looks down to her. “You okay?”

She sniffles, prompting Mason to sweep her into the room. Rubbing the back of his neck, he sends a questioning look to her.

“I, uh, I had a nightmare. A really bad one, actually, and I couldn’t go back to sleep. So I wandered for a while until I ended up at your door.”

Mason’s heart speeds up, his heart overthrowing his mind. “Do you want to camp out in here?”

She peeks up at him through her hair. “I - I guess. I can sleep on the floor.”

“You’re taking the bed, Y/N,” Mason orders, his eyes still heavy with sleep behind his thickly framed glasses. “I don’t want you sleeping on the cold floor after going through that.”

“Mason, I’m not just going to kick you out of your bed!” Y/N retaliates, her arms crossed across her chest to hide her shaking hands.

“Actually, I have a better plan.” Mason mumbles, tossing his glasses onto the nightstand and wandering back to his bed. Crawling back under the covers, he lifts up the blanket and gestures for Y/N to join him. Her heart flutters for a fraction of a second before allowing her to curl up in bed with the lanky boy. As she settles into the warmth of the blanket, her heart hammers against her ribs while Mason’s scent swallows her up - earthy, sweet, and so perfectly _Mason_. Tucking her head under his chin and her face into his neck, she takes a deep breath - the way they click together like two lost pieces of a faded puzzle - nearly stops her heart altogether; and yet, she finds herself yearning for more.

 

As morning rolls around, everyone except for Mason and Y/N is up and moving, filling the house with chatter.

“Does anyone know where the two apes are?” Swagger calls from the living room. “I haven’t seen Mason since last night, and Y/N didn’t even come out for dinner.”

“I thought I heard Mason talking last night,” Toby says, turning to face Swagger. “Sounded like he was talking about his bed?”

“I’ll go check on him, see what’s going on.” Swagger confirms, hopping off the couch.

As he walks down the hall, he notices Y/N's slightly open door and furrows his eyebrows at the empty room. Turning back towards Mason’s door, he opens it just enough to not disturb Mason, but he quickly notices -

“Holy _fuck_.” He whispers, his eyes wide. Gently closing the door, he slides back into the living room, his sudden entrance scaring the others.

“You good Swagger?”

He turns to look at Matt, surprise thoroughly etched into his features. “I found Y/N and Mason. You guys have _got_ to see this.”

The group scampers down the hallway, crowding around the door as Swagger opens it. Peering in, they start quietly freaking out, taking out their phones. Mason’s arms are wrapped tightly around Y/N, her face still buried in his neck. Their legs are tied tightly together, their bodies so close they’ve practically become one person.

“Is that..?”

“Yep, that’s Mason and Y/N alright,” Swagger smiles, sneaking a picture of the two. “There’s no way they’re going to live this one down. We better leave before they wake up though.”

The boys leave the room, Matt silently shutting the door behind them. Just a few minutes later, Y/N stirs in Mason’s arms.

“Mmph, wha...” She questions, blinking the sleep from her eyes. “Where the hell...”

Her eyes widen as she becomes highly aware of the warm, toned body pressed tightly against her side, the shift of his chest equal and smooth.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy _shit_.” Y/N mutters, her face growing warm. Shifting just enough to see his face, her heart burns as she watches over him, his kind face nearly crease free in his sleep,

“God, Gemma didn’t deserve you,” Y/N realizes, her fingers combing through his hair. “She just couldn’t see what made you such a caring, sweet, amazing, and hilarious guy. I swear to you, even if you never -” She pauses, just for a moment. “Even if you never love me, I’m going to give you the goddamn world.”

Mason wakes up just a moment later, Y/N jumping as she quickly pulls her hand out of his hair. “What are you doing here?”

Y/N sighs. “When I had my panic attack last night, I came to your door. I couldn’t fall back asleep, so you asked if I wanted to stay the night. I agreed and said I’d sleep on the floor. You, however, wanted me to have the bed. I argued with you, and you decided that our best course of action was sharing the bed. So, we did.”

Mason’s face turns pink. “I’m sorry if I overstepped-”

“Mason,” Y/N interrupts. “If you did, I’d be on the floor or back in my room. It’s okay. I appreciate that you let me stay the night in here.”

“Right, right. Uh, so, how are we going to leave without looking sus as fuck? It has to be past noon, so everyone’s going to be awake.”

“How about... you leave first, make a distraction, and I’ll slip out?”

“Sounds good to me,” Mason agrees, getting up from the bed. “And, hey, one more question?”

“Shoot, my dude.” Y/N chirps, watching Mason’s back as he slips on a pair of sweatpants.

“Do you ever miss home?”

Y/N grew quiet, looking down at her hands. “To be honest with you, not as much as I used to. When I first moved here I was terrified - I’ve loved you guys since my sophomore year of high school, so coming to work for _and_ live with you all was an intense, crazy dream I never thought could become real.”

Mason walks back to the bed, kneeling down to come face to face with her. “Hey, if it makes you feel any better, when I came to live with the boys I was pretty nervous too. Are we best friends? Yeah, of course. But it was also a big change - being able to do what I loved full time while living with my best mates is amazingly crazy. Every night I go to bed I worry that it’s all just a dream that I could wake up from.”

Y/N smiles softly at Mason, taking his hands. “If this really is a dream, Macey, I never want to wake up.”

“Neither do I.”


	5. turn me on (laser focused)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LASER TAG TIME BOYS OI OI OI
> 
> check out the party playlist for this chapter yeet: https://open.spotify.com/user/stumplette_band_n3rd/playlist/34HcxlRsAZ3El1on1vjdjT?si=R7MDlmlQR26rKzMFEOcWYg

.. 2:45pm ..

“Look who finally decided to join the land of the living!”

Mason laughs, punching Swagger’s shoulder. “Fuck off, mate! I was up late last night.”

“Oh, is that so? Toby mentioned that she thought she heard you talking around 4 o’clock this morning.”

Mason pauses for a second, drawing all the attention towards him. He panics.

“Morning bitches!”

“It’s the afternoon, Y/N, get with the timezones!” Matt calls.

Mason lets out a breath of relief, thankful that the attention was drawn away from him. Laughing with the rest of the group, he wanders to the living room as Swagger calls a meeting.

“Listen up you scuffed fuckers,” He starts, the laughter starting again. “I’ve been working with Ryan to sort out something for us today: Laser Tag!”

Everyone cheers, shuffling around to form teams.

“Oh no you don’t! We already organized this shit. Ryan, Cam, and Jay will be on the Green Team with Mason as the captain. Y/N, Toby, and Matt, you’ll be on the Orange Team with me. We each get a bandana to tie around our faces or necks, and the rest of our wardrobe is plain black - Misfits hoodie is optional! Any questions?”

Y/N raises her hand. “Are we filming this for the channel?”

Swagger grins. “Hell yeah we are! Everyone gets chest cams. Any other questions?”

“Blacklight stadium?”

“Definitely.”

“Perfect!”

“Alright Misfits, let’s get ready to go. The location is expecting us at 16:00 sharp, so let’s hustle!” Ryan yells from the back of the room, and the Misfits scatter.

 

Everyone reappears in the living room, cloaked in black hoodies and jeans, and their darkest pairs of shoes.

“Where’s Y/N?” Matt hesitates, peering down the hall.

“Looking for me?”

The guys jump as Y/N appears behind them, and Mason chokes at the sight of her wearing his Misfits hoodie. Dark black eyeshadow coats her eyes, and black lipstick paired with her side shaved hair gives Y/N the perfect dystopian edgelord look she wanted.

“Going all out, Y/N?” Swagger jokes, earning a fist to the side.

“Come on dude, go big or go home, right? You’ll be wearing your damn chainmail after all.”

“Point taken, it’s a camera thing, alright. We ready to go?”

Ryan gives a thumbs up, cheers filling the house once again as the rowdy crew floods out of the house and into the van. Cranking up the radio, they party all the way to the arena.

 

“Okay everyone, I assume we all have a grip on how laser tag works?” The worker questions, the crew nodding their head in return.

“Excellent! Orange Team, you’ll take the left path behind me, and Green will take the right path. Your goal tonight is to capture the other team’s flag. If you’re shot, a teammate can revive you, but it takes a five-second contact of your gloves to your teammate’s special plate on the back of the vest. Are we ready to go?”

The group cheers, lining up and filing through their separate doors. Once they reach their home bases, adrenaline fills the area as the announcer’s voice sounds across the loudspeakers.

“Remember teams, retrieve the flags! Revive your teammates! And don’t forget - play fair!”

A siren sounds, _East of Eden_ blaring around the room. Taking a running start, Y/N leaps from the starting platform, jumping from one barrier to the next. Swagger, Toby, and Matt divide up, sliding between walls and rolling for cover. Reaching a peak in the walls, Y/N bends low, locating the neon green flag in moments. Swagger barks orders to Toby and Matt to guard the base and the room lights up with laser beams. Vaulting over a large paint-splattered barrier, Y/N slides to a stop just before the flag’s platform, coming up on Jay’s blind spot. Creeping towards him, she swiftly wraps her arm around his core and drags him to a corner, shooting him in the back.

“Sorry love, but war is war.”

“Cam! I need backup!”

Cameron comes bolting around the corner and comes face to face with Y/N.

“Don’t move, Fitzie,” Y/N growls, her gun set square on him. He raises his gun to shoot her, and she nails him in the chest. “You boys just don’t listen, do you?”

Clambering up the ladder and leaving the boys in the sheltered corner, she rips the flag from the pole and stuffs it in her belt.

“And the Green Flag has been taken! Better get moving, Green!”

Y/N soars from the platform, tucking and rolling into another corner. She spots Ryan against a wall, vest glowing brightly with defeat.

“Where’s Masie, Ry?” Y/N mocks, hefting up her gun.

“I’ll never tell!”

“Suit yourself,” She barks. “I’ve got this in the bag anyhow.”

 _East of Eden_ ends, _Hey Mama!_ pouring out in its place. Creeping down the aisles, she keeps her eyes peeled for the last green bandana, and rolls her shoulders to pounce once she sees Mason on the level below her. Dropping down in front of him, she grabs the back of his head and pulls him close.

“Consider the game lost, Mason,” She purrs, looking up at him through her eyelashes. “I’ve got the flag, and your teammates are down.”

Mason’s heart hammers in his chest, his voice low. “You’ll never make it out of this.”

She raises her eyebrows, then shoots him square in the chest. “Watch me, Captain.”

Pressing a hard kiss to his jaw, she sprints off, waving behind her. Mason stands stunned, his eyes practically popping out of their sockets. Y/N hoists herself up onto the platform and slams the flag onto the ground, a victorious whoop sounding from her.

“And on that note, Orange Team has won the game! Teams, please make your way to the front gate for group photos.”

Y/N climbs down from the platform and reunites with the crew just as Swagger starts talking with Mason.

“So, how’s it feel to lose to Y/N and I twice in two separate games, Mason?”

Mason snorts. “Not good, bro.”

“Another question: the fuck is that on your jaw?”

Y/N howls with laughter, and Swagger pieces two and two together.

“MASON! Please tell me you lost in a FAIR WAR?”

Mason’s face grows as red as a stop sign, and Swagger about keels over laughing. He high-fives Y/N, and groups up with the rest of Orange for the winner’s picture. Y/N daintily waves to Mason, winking as she turns away. Mason just puts his head in his hands.

“Okay you guys! In three, two, one...”

“ORANGE!”

They all fist-bump after the picture, which consisted of a half-assed Charlie’s Angels pose with Y/N lying on the floor, gun pointed at the camera.

“Good game, guys!” Y/N cheers after they leave the building, skipping around the parking lot.

“I can’t believe all the stunts you pulled off! You were like a goddamn ninja in there.” Toby quips, giving Y/N a fist-bump.

“Yeah, especially after you said you ‘weren’t really that athletic’,” Jay adds, joining the duo. “What else are you hiding from us, Y/N?”

“I wrote fanfiction about Dean Winchester in 8th grade.”

“Yeah, but I think all 8th grade Supernatural fans did that.”

“Fuck, you’re right. Uhh, what other weird shit do I do?”

Swagger slides over to the trio. “You fuck with Mason on a daily basis. Poor kid’s gonna keel over if you pull another stunt like you did in the arena.”

Toby and Jay turn to Y/N for an explanation, puzzled looks on their faces.

“Oh, yeah, that. I’ve noticed he gets really flustered whenever I pull certain shit, so I decided to conduct another experiment. Consider it a success!”

“Honey, you are playing with fire,” Toby remarks, pulling open the van door. “He’s gonna get you back one of these days.”

“I doubt it, but sure, whatever you say Toby!”

Toby and Jay give each other a knowing look behind Y/N's back and follow everyone else into the van. Pulling out of the parking lot, the radio gets cranked back up -  and Y/N can’t keep her eyes off the mark she left on Mason.


	6. all i want for christmas is you (and maybe a juul)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> countdown to christmas, boys!

.. 7 days before christmas ..

“Alright, we need to put this to an end.”

Everyone turns to look at Swagger, a determined look settled on his face. “Mason and Y/N have been drooling over one another since Y/N got here. I’m sick of watching them pine for each other like a couple of middle schoolers. We need to do something about this.”

“We could start planting mistletoe around the house,” Cam adds. “I know a few places we could get some big bundles of it.”

“Sounds good to me,” Swagger agrees. “Cam, Matt, I’m gonna send you two to do that. Toby, Jay, I want you guys to go pick up Christmas decorations - we need lights, ornaments, tinsel, whatever you can get your hands on. I’ll stick around the house and keep this under wraps.”

“Where are Mason and Y/N?”

“Mason’s still sleeping, and Y/N is editing the latest CSGO video. We should be good to go.” Matt confirms, nodding towards the two closed doors at the end of the hall.

“Makes my job easier,” Swagger jokes. “Alright! Let’s get a move on!”

About an hour later, the four Misfits have returned, and decorations are flying around the house. Mistletoe dangles from the balcony and the doorways, and string lights wrap around the staircase handles and the support beams. A tree skirt and stand sit in the far corner of the living room, waiting for the tree to arrive. Y/N walks out of her room, jolting to a stop after almost being nailed with a plastic ornament.

“Oh hey Y/N!”

“Swagger, what the hell is happening?”

“It’s Christmas season,” He shouts from across the room, sliding off of the ladder balanced against the wall. “We have to decorate!”

Cameron crosses the room, tossing her a canister of tinsel. She pops the cap, and flings the strands onto the fireplace, adjusting the miniature nutcrackers to stand guard around the photo of the crew in the center. Swagger meets Cam in a doorway to trade decorations, and the rest of the crew starts giggling like children.

“What’s so - oh you have _got_ to be shitting me,” Swagger groans, dropping his string of lights and shoving his head into his hands. “No way, Cam, not a chance.”

Y/N snorts, filming the moment on her phone. “Come on boys, not even for the fans?”

Swagger grumbles, eventually crumbling to the pressure. Standing on his toes, he presses a kiss to Cam’s jaw, Cam having to bend down in order for him to even get close. Everyone else laughs for a little while longer before settling down and continuing to work. Y/N hears Mason’s door creak open, and she tosses a string of tinsel around his neck.

“Welcome to the party, Macey!”

“What the hell?”

“We’re almost done decorating,” Y/N explains, wrapping an arm around his waist. “We’ve got a few gingerbread houses to build if you’re up for it?”

Mason runs a hand through his hair, the longer strands draping over his eyes. Flicking his head back to move them, he smiles in agreement. “Yeah, I’ll bite. You want to help me?”

“Of course!” Y/N chirps, wary of Swagger’s all-knowing look in the corner of her vision. “What do you say to making it as scuffed as possible?”

“I love it.”

.. 6 days before christmas ..

“I can’t believe I have to do this.”

“You’re the one that thought it was a good idea.”

“Yeah, well, I’m starting to think it wasn’t,” Swagger hollers, face turning red. “I’ve kissed you, what, twice now? And I’ve had to kiss Matt and Toby as well!”

Cameron laughs, the tips of his hair brushing the clump of mistletoe in the kitchen. “Just kiss me and get it over with, short stack. You know, if this was some cliche love story, we’d be a couple at this point.”

“Yeah, well, we aren’t gay, so shut the fuck up.” Swagger snarls, quickly kissing Cam’s cheek. Cam laughs, ruffling Swagger’s hair. He punches him in the side, a smile slowly working onto his face.

“And that,” Y/N whispers into the camera microphone. “Is how you avoid kissing someone under the mistletoe: put someone else in your place.”


	7. "can you smoke this?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tree time kids..... and an interesting development.... :0

.. 5 days before christmas ..

“We’re grabbing a Christmas tree today.” Mason starts, turning his head toward the back seat.

“Oh yeah?” Swagger asks, zooming in on Mason’s face.

“You excited?”

“I’m really excited.”

“What going on, Mason?” Y/N asks behind the camera, her smile evident in her voice.

“I’m eatin’ Shapes.”

“Eating Shapes in Matt’s car?”

“You better not be making a mess over there,” Matt warns from the driver’s seat, Mason whining in the background. “Clean up your crumbs, dammit.”

“Dude, what crumbs?”

“I’m gonna use your head as a brush to clean them up.” Matt growls, the rest of the crew giggling in the back of the car. Mason sticks his tongue out at Matt and turns up the music, the lo-fi beats flowing through the speakers. Looking out the window, Y/N sighs in admiration at the lush countryside of Victoria - the tall grass and wide open fields reminiscent of home. Mason takes a peek in the rearview mirror, a warm fondness in his heart for the girl he’d fallen so hard for.

 

“Do we get a tall tree or a scuffed tree for the house?” Matt asks, searching for a parking spot.

“We need one twice my height!” Swagger orders.

“Good thing there’s a couple of four feet trees then.” Jay says, laughing when Swagger flips him off from behind the camera.

Mason, Jay, and Y/N split off with Cam and Toby for the tree truck, and the rest of the crew stays in the van, cackling when the van pulls off and almost dumps Swagger from the open back. Traveling down the winding road, Mason grabs Y/N's hand for support before standing up with the camera.

“Mason! Get your arse back in the car!” Toby orders, the tug on his hand from Y/N enough to reel him back in.

As the truck reaches the tree farm, Y/N and Mason start laughing before turning the camera back on.

“They’re never gonna know.” Mason whispers to the camera, a grin splitting his face.

“What?” Jay asks, his eyes going wide as Mason and Y/N both stand up. “No, No! Nohoho! Mason and Y/N jumped! They’re gone!”

 

Pulling around to where the tree lies on the ground, Toby parks the truck next to the tree and leans out the window.

“G’day mate, how the hell are ya? Got any ciggy butts?”

“I got none on me, man.” Mason replies, a sheepish expression on his face.

Y/N laughs behind the camera. “Got no ciggies man!”

Mason pats his pockets. “Got nothing on me.”

The duo laughs, Mason trotting over to help the other boys wrestle the tree onto the bed of the truck. Y/N whistles behind the camera at the boys, shouting words of encouragement.

Mason turns towards her. “Is this mint? Can you smoke this?”

“Don’t tempt the others.”

“Did you just ask if you could smoke this?” Matt asks, a bewildered look on his face.

“Can we smoke the whole tree?” Mason replies, giggling out of frame.

“Dude, we’re gonna get so high off this thing.” Matt jokes, dropping into his ‘Shaka-brah’ voice. “Man, you don’t even know.”

The boys joke around a bit more, Mason turning back to the camera every so often to crack jokes at Y/N.

“Where? Where Matt? Where?”

“Back there, dude! Back there!”

“Where?” Mason squeaks, pulling another awful face at the camera.

“You want me to take you back there right now? I’ll do it!”

“If you can catch me - Nyoo!” Mason mocks, sprinting away from the camera with Matt hot on his heels and Y/N cackling behind the camera. The boys run back to Matt’s car, the tree now secured to the top of the van. Matt sits back in the driver’s seat with Jay in the passenger seat. Y/N and Mason climb into the back, Y/N scooting to sit next to Mason so Swagger can join them.

“You guys ready to go,” Matt asks, everyone else nodding in agreement. “Alrighty. We are officially homeward bound!”

Y/N turns off the camera, passing it to Swagger before wrapping herself tightly in her jacket and leaning into Mason. Closing her eyes, she drifts off, the quiet lo-fi pulling her deep into sleep.

 

_Running down a snowy street, Y/N's heart warms as the familiar buildings of her hometown seem to appear around her. Slowing down to take in the details, she hears Christmas music echoing from an open door on an apartment. Walking towards the door, she peers inside to see-_

_“Mason?”_

_He turns to face her, his thousand-kilowatt smile turned on full blast. “Hey babe, how are you? Just finished making dinner - I’ve been waiting for you.”_

_She quirks an eyebrow but follows him inside. Her heart catches in her throat at how domestic the apartment is. Books litter every surface, a warm dinner sits on an aged table in the dining room, and a Christmas tree shines in the corner of the living room next to a television playing an old Christmas movie. Taking her coat off, Mason hangs it and her hat on a rack next to the door._

_“You must be cold,” He notes. “You were out there for hours!”_

_She shivers absentmindedly and moves further into the warm home. Walking into the dining room, Mason gives her a soft look, moving to join her in the doorframe._

_“Look up, honey.”_

_She peers up, her heart pounding as her eyes lock onto the mistletoe. She looks back at Mason, who tips his head down. She shifts onto her tiptoes, and -_

“We’re home!”

Y/N jolts awake, Mason’s loud voice making her left ear ring like a bell. Shaking her head to clear the picture of Mason so close to her face, she slides out of the car after Swagger and darts into her room, closing the door behind her.

“Is she alright?” Mason asks, a concerned look on his face.

“I can go talk to her, hold on.” Swagger replies, trekking down the hallway to Y/N's room.

Swagger knocks on the door, dropping his voice. “Y/N, it’s Eric. Are you in there?”

Panicked rustling can be heard on the other side of the door before it flies open, a disheveled Y/N standing silent on the other side. She lets him in, shutting the door behind him.

“You feeling alright?”

She jerks her head up to look at him. “Promise you won’t say anything to the others?”

Swagger goes cold. “I promise, Y/N. It’s just you and me.”

“I ... I had a dream about Mason on the ride home. It was hella domestic and cozy, and I...”

“You what?”

She takes a deep breath. “I almost kissed him. I was about to before I woke up.”

Swagger raises an eyebrow, but grabs Y/N's hands and squeezes them tightly.

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

She sighs and looks him square in the eye. “I think I’m in love with Mason.”


	8. hold me closer (tiny dancer)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> decorations and stress... sounds like the holiday season!

.. 4 days before christmas ..

“Hand me that final ornament, will you?”

An ornament flies across the room, a blur of blue following behind it. Snatching it out of the air, Y/N pins it to a branch and grins at the finished tree. White lights glow silver against the green branches - black, orange, blue, and white ornaments glimmer in the lights.

“Who’s putting the star on the tree?” Matt asks.

“I will!” Y/N yells, picking the silver star up off the couch.

“As if you could reach the top of the tree on your own,” Swagger snarks. “Get someone to help you.”

“Mason!”

Mason pauses, turning towards Y/N. “You called?”

“Help me put the star on the tree.”

He nods, kneeling down next to the couch. Y/N hops onto the cushions and swings a leg over Mason’s shoulder. He holds her in place while she grabs his hand, wiggling onto his shoulders. He slowly moves from his lowered stance, keeping a comfortably tight grip on her calves. Walking over to the tree, he grins as Y/N holds his head for support, the star landing perfectly crooked on the top of the tree.

“I’d say this tree is beautifully scuffed, eh?”

The group laughs, and Ryan gathers them around the tree for a new group picture. Y/N clings to Mason’s shoulders, and a large grin splits both of their faces as the camera focuses on the crew.

“Okay kids, in three... two... one...”

“Happy Christmas!”

.. 3 days before christmas ..

“Okay, Y/N, I’m sorry, but these need to be edited and posted by tonight. I hate to dump even more on you, but we really need these videos out.”

“Swagger, it’s okay. I can handle this.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to stress you out.”

“Trust me, Swags,” Y/N explains, her eyes still locked on the screen in front of her. “When I signed up for this, I knew what I was in for.”

“Okay,” Swagger reassures. “I just... I care about you, alright? You’re like a sister to me. I don’t want this to hurt you in the long run.”

Y/N smiles at Swagger, prompting him to send her a quick thumbs up and back out of the room. Y/N's face drops once the door closes, and she sets her head in her hands. Rubbing her tired eyes, she puts her headphones on and goes back to work.

Mason comes in a few hours later with a couple sandwiches and a cup of green tea. Setting the plates and the cup on the desk, he drags over a spare stool and lands next to Y/N.

“You feeling alright?”

Y/N nods, her eyes like sandpaper. “Just... trying to get through all the stuff Swagger sent me. I just have one last thing to do to this edit and then I’m finally free. God, I feel like I’m going to boil over.”

Mason gently grasps Y/N's chin, turning her face towards his. “Swagger said you were okay with all this work. Are you sure you’re doing okay?”

Y/N takes her face from Mason’s hand, polishing the last edit and sending the video out. Rubbing her eyes once again, she scarfs down the sandwich and chugs the tea.

“What time is it?”

“It’s 22:30. I’m proud of you. You managed to work through all this change really well.”

“What can I say,” Y/N laughs weakly. “I’m flexible.”

Mason looks worried for a second but quickly evens out his expression. “Well, your work’s done. Maybe you should head to bed? I can take care of everything else.”

“Sounds good to me,” Y/N yawns, cracking her back. “See you in the AM.”

Mason collects the plates and cup and leaves the room, hovering by the doorway until Y/N collapses into bed.

 

Y/N suddenly darts up in bed, her mind racing and her chest heaving. A neon red 3:07 flashes from her alarm clock, the angry color picking away at her brain. Crashing out of her bed, she tears out of her door and runs outside, skidding to a stop in the gardens. The hot Australian summer air bites at her skin, the beads of sweat biting at her skin. She sucks in air, her lungs feeling like they refuse to work. Stumbling back into the house, she hesitates for the slightest moment in front of Mason’s door before opening it and crawling into his bed.

“What the - Y/N?”

“Mason, please, don’t say anything,” She pants, unshed tears shining in her eyes. “Just hold me. Please.”

He sits up, scooping her up with the grace of a dove. Placing her in his lap, he holds her head to his chest, his other hand tight on her waist.

“Shh, hey, just breathe with me, okay? Feel my chest, go with the rhythm. You’ll be alright love. I’m right here. I always will be. Just breathe with me. That’s all you have to do.”

Y/N sniffles, hugging her arms close to her chest. Burrowing into Mason’s neck, she takes solace in that same earthly sweet scent that drew her in once before - a smell she had grown to love.

“I’ll always be here for you. Don’t you ever forget that. I’ll always be right here.”

Y/N opens her eyes, her vision blurred and face sticky with tears. She pulls her head from Mason’s neck, sweeping her hair out of her face.

“Do you want to stay the night?”

She nods, and Mason releases her to get changed.

Whenever she’d change before bed, he’d respectfully turn his back and focus on something else - he’s a gentleman, you know. But tonight, a wave of curiosity overtakes him, and he has to try and catch even a glimpse of what he’s been missing. His heart sits in his throat as he turns around - and her bare back lays out on full display. His chest burns as her shoulder blades and biceps work, her sports bra parting from her skin. The way the sparse lights gave her skin a tan glow, and how her skin seemed to float on her muscle and bone like a dandelion puff in the wind - the blooming colors of her infamous galactic tattoo sleeve seemed to explode off of her - and he has to use every bit of his strength to turn away from her.


	9. i smile (because i want to)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> giving the children the house for the day... wonder what's gonna happen?
> 
> abuse mention this chapter. please read carefully. love you all <3

.. 2 days before christmas ..

Curling up closer to the warm mass in the blankets next to her, Y/N's eyes refuse to open - as if these tender waking moments are hiding her from what few lingering silences remain - but she forces them open nevertheless, an alarm clock over Mason’s shoulder flashing a steady 10:50 to remind her that, yes, the real world still exists. Shimmying out of the cocoon of both sheets and limbs, she redresses and leaves the room - only after leaving a soft kiss on Mason’s cheek.

“Good morning sleeping beauty!”

“Shut fuck the up - sorry, let me try that again - shut the fuck up.” Y/N stutters, shambling into the kitchen. Swagger laughs, pouring her a cup of tea.

“Since when do you drink tea?”

“Since I decided to be nice and make it for you.  Were you alright last night? I was half asleep at my desk and I thought I heard you crying.”

Y/N freezes. “Uh, yeah, everything was fine. Just, uh, started thinking about home.”

“Y/N,” Swagger murmurs. “You can tell me the truth. No one else is here except for you, me, and Mason. It’s okay.”

She takes a deep breath. “I finished all the work you gave me yesterday, and Mason brought me dinner. We ate, talked, he asked if I was doing alright, and I may have not told him the truth...”

“Was the workload too much yesterday? God, I’m sorry. I should’ve checked with you first.”

“A little bit, yeah, but there’s more to it. When I still lived in the States, I had ... I had a boyfriend. His name was Zack. He and I were _the_ it couple in our high school. Well, we were, until he...”

“Y/N? What the hell did he do to you?”

“He... he beat the shit out of me after I got out of one of our calls. Said I was cheating on him, lying to him, whatever the fuck else,” Y/N takes a deep, cooling breath. “I dropped him like a rock, finished all my classes, and got the fuck out of there. I wasn’t about to let that happen to me again.”

“So why were you up last night?”

“I had a really bad nightmare - worse than any I’ve had in a long time. I thought... I thought Zack had come back for me. And he,” Y/N pauses, choking on the memory. “He hurt Mason. God, he fucking brutalized him. And all I could do was watch Mason die in my arms until I woke up.”

“Christ, Y/N,” Swagger whispers, his heart dropping through the floor. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“I’ve been having such a great time living here with you guys - I’m living my _goddamn high school self’s dream_ \- I didn’t want to ruin that with my past.”

“Y/N,” Swagger starts, a foreign tone in his voice. “There is no way in hell that you could ‘ruin’ anything. We’re all fucked up. We all have shit pasts. We’re called the Misfits for a reason - yeah, our names make up Misfits, but it’s also _because_ we’re Misfits. You belong here - and it’s okay to be fucked up.”

Y/N wipes the tears out of her eyes and tackles Swagger in a hug. He pats her back, a gentle sibling-like bond that few could recreate forming in the quiet kitchen.

“So... what should I do about Mason?”

Swagger laughs. “I’ve got a few things in the works. Just keep being you, and I’ll line things up. Hey, speaking of which, I cleared both of your schedules until after New Years, so you can have time to actually spend with each other instead of you just falling asleep in his bed.”

“Thank God,” She groans. “Listen, I love that boy, but I need more one on one time than just having panic attacks in his room at 3 in the morning. So... thank you, Swagger.”

“No problemo. But listen, if you ever need help with romance-”

“Then you just call me, baby!” Mason shouts, sliding into the kitchen. Y/N jumps, laughing as she punches him in the arm. “Where is everyone?”

“Jay and Toby are out getting breakfast and roaming the town, Matt and Cam are out doing some last minute gift shopping, and I was just about to go join them.”

“So Mason and I get the house to ourselves?”

“Yes, against my better judgment,” Swagger notes, his head turning down to his phone as it chimes. “My Uber’s here. See you guys in a few hours!”

“Bye Swags!” The two call after him.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

“The hell does he mean by that?” Mason mutters, and Y/N shrugs, turning away to hide her warm face.

“So... what should we do?”

“Well, the house is our oyster,” Mason croons. “The real question you should be asking is... what _shouldn’t_ we do?”

 

Y/N and Mason are only a couple hours into their free day, and take out containers and various odds and ends already litter the house. _Time Of My Life_ flows from the surround sound, and Mason stands steady in the middle of the living room, eyeing Y/N in her flowing dress.

“Look, Y/N, I promise I’ll catch you. If I don’t, I’ll let you kick my ass. Isn’t that a fair deal?”

“God, I guess,” Y/N replies, gearing herself up for the jump. “You ready, moron?”

“Let’s do it!”

Running across the living room, Y/N jumps - and lands safely in Mason’s waiting grasp. Spinning around in a circle, he swings her into his arms and drops her gently to her feet. Grasping her hands once again, they finish the dance, landing in a sweating heap on the couch.

“I could’ve sworn you told me you’ve never seen Dirty Dancing.”

“No, I said it was one of my favorite movies!” Mason replies, his eyes glowing with delight. “I just can’t believe I got you to dance with me.”

“How could I say no? Dirty Dancing is an iconic movie with an even more iconic dance number. Don’t you ever question my dedication to dance numbers in famous films.”

Mason smiles, nudging his head against hers. They sit in a gentle silence, enjoying the company of one another - no deadlines, no people - just the two of them, finally alone together. Mason’s smile shrinks for a moment.

“Can I ask a favor of you?”

“What’s up?”

“Could you,” He stops momentarily. “Could you teach me how to swim?”

Y/N gives Mason a soft smile, squeezing his hands. “Of course! Meet me by the pool in 10.”

 

By the time Mason walks out of the sliding door, Y/N is drifting peacefully through the pool. Smiling at him, she dives underwater before meeting him at the shallow end.

“Okay, I’m going to go over the basics first. Are you ready?”

He nods, slowly stepping into the pool. Taking his hands, Y/N leads Mason to the edge of the shallow end.

“Turn around so your back is facing me. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you,” He turns around, his hands twitching. “Now, lean back into me.”

Mason leans back, heart thudding. Y/N slowly backs up, leaving her hands on his back while he bobs in the water.

“Okay, now extend your arms out to the sides, and keep your chest slightly puffed up.”

Following her instructions to the smallest detail, he floats, and she lets go - leaving him afloat.

“Mason! You’ve done it! Now hold it there, I know you can do it. Keep your face above the water and keep your chest puffed.”

Mason shakes but manages to keep form. Throughout the next hour, Y/N teaches Mason to swim from one end of the pool to the other, hold his breath while swimming underwater, and how to do a handstand. As the sun starts to skim closer to the horizon, Mason drifts lazily to Y/N, his head bumping into her hip.

“Hey,” He says. “You come here often?”

“Mason Bradford, I am going to throw you.”

Mason laughs, diving underwater before shooting back up and flinging his hair out of his face. Climbing out of the pool, Y/N watches his muscles move like silk, and smiles at him as he tosses her a drink. Sliding back into the pool, he taps his can against hers before taking a sip.

“To living the dream for the rest of our fucked up lives, eh?”

Y/N smiles, setting her head on Mason’s shoulder. “Forever and always.”

 

“Listen, the only reason I ever stuck with that friend group was for my benefit. I know I sound like a jackass, but I needed the class credits!”

Mason laughs, Y/N scolding him as he nearly smudges his finished nails. “You sound like you were a bitch in high school.”

“You say that like I’m not.”

“Because you aren’t!” Mason argues, Y/N's snort enough to make him laugh again. She finishes the small golden details on Mason’s nails before blowing on them and beaming. Mason’s eyes light up at the intricate details and watches with rapt attention as Y/N paints her own nails.

“What’s your best memory from high school?”

Y/N pauses for a moment. “I visited New York City with my choir group my sophomore year. We saw two Broadway shows, visited Lady Liberty, went shopping in Times Square ... it was magical. I had never been that far from home without my parents for that long.”

“Do you think that’s one reason you were able to make the leap and move out here?”

“Yeah, that definitely was the push. It was also the push I needed to realize that ‘hey, my mother is really overbearing, I need to get the hell out of this house’.”

Mason snorts. “I’m glad it did that. Who knows where we’d be without you?”

“You’d be lost as hell,” Y/N jokes, finishing her last nail before tucking away the polish. “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys though. You’ve been a big part of my life since sophomore year too, you know.”

After the polish dries, the duo relocates to the living room to rewatch Dirty Dancing for the hundredth time, both redressed in their dorky costumes. As the last few minutes of the movie begin, the rest of the crew pours into the house, arms laden with bags upon bags of stuff.

“ _I’ve had the time of my life_!” The duo shouts, spinning around the living room - unaware of the crew filming them from the kitchen. Mason picks Y/N up off the floor, dipping and rolling her in his arms. As the film finishes, the duo ends in a close embrace, their faces barely inches apart.

“You just had to get rid of the damn mistletoe, didn’t you Swagger?” Cameron mutters, and Swagger nearly kicks himself in frustration. Waiting until Mason and Y/N part and begin to clean the living room, he shouts an entrance cue before dumping his bags in the dining room.

“Hey, Swagger!” Y/N calls, looking livelier and brighter than when he had left that morning. Mason waves absentmindedly, focused on cleaning the living room and making it hospitable again.

Dinner gets cooked by Y/N - one of the two decent cooks in the house - and everyone separates to their rooms to wrap gifts. About an hour later, the crew deposits their gifts under the tree, and pile onto the couch to end the night with Home Alone.


	10. christmas eve will find me (where the love light gleams)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHRISTMAS!

.. christmas eve ..

“Welcome to the Manor!”

Chad and Max walk in, their eyes wide at all of the Christmas decorations that line every surface. Piles of presents sit around the large tree in the floor to ceiling windowed corner, and Christmas music plays around them. Y/N shows them around the house before directing them to her room.

“While you guys stay here for the next few days, I’ll bunk with Mason and you guys can take my room.”

Max and Chad give each other a knowing look but set down their bags anyway. The trio moves back to the living room where everyone else has gathered for Christmas Eve dinner and Secret Santa.

“So Cam and I are in a call together to record a new Fortnite episode, right? Well, we get paired with these two kids, and they keep talking about K-Pop. All of a sudden Cam just pulls up a ... what was the band’s name?”

“Girls Generation!”

“Right, right. So he pulls up the track and he _starts singing along_! I was floored!” Toby finishes, the others howling with laughter. Y/N passes dinner out to the wild group after the stories finish, and they reflect on the year while dining, a warm cozy feeling floating in the air.

 

With dishes cleaned and stored, the Misfits and company regroup in the living room, cameras out and Secret Santa gifts piled on the coffee table.

“First up, we have Cameron!” Swagger announces, pulling names out of a hat. Cameron picks a gift addressed to himself out of the pile, and about cries laughing at the contents.

“It’s... it’s a ...” He wheezes, trying to get the words out. “It’s a goddamn Kermit plush.”

The group laughs, the laughter intensifying when Chad reveals he bought it for Cam.

“Next up... Matt!”

Matt tears into his gift, grinning brightly at the Shaka-brah bobblehead Swagger had picked out for him. Wrapping paper litters the floor as more gifts separate from their cocoons, and the room erupts with laughter once again as Chad unwraps -

“The fuck is this? Is it food,” He asks, making a disgusted face as he licks it. “This is soap! Which one of you bought the damn display chunk of soap from Lush?”

Mason snorts, laughing harder when Chad squints at him.

“You bought me a block of soap? You tryin’ ta tell me I smell,” Chad barks, Mason’s laugh growing squeaky. “Well come on, bring the camera, we gotta test this out.”

As Chad and Max trudge up the stairs with a camera, Y/N wraps herself in her new plush blanket printed with hundreds of Swagger’s helmets and rolls over to Mason’s side of the couch, landing on him with a slight ‘oof’.

“Happy Christmas Eve, Masie,” Y/N smiles, Mason’s signature smile in return warming her heart. “Did you get everything you wished for?”

“Yeah,” He murmurs, setting his head on Y/N's. “I did.”

As the night winds down, Y/N is passed out on Mason’s shoulder, Swagger’s beginning his fifth round of ‘99 Bottles’ with Cam and Matt, and Toby and Jay - along with Chad and Max - are in bed, waiting for Christmas morning.

“Mason! Join us in our very festive caroling!”

Mason shakes his head. “Gotta take sleepyhead to bed. We need her in top-notch cooking shape for tomorrow. Hey, uh, speaking of Christmas things - Swagger, can I talk to you about something before we head to bed?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Headed into the kitchen, Mason turns to Swagger with a panicked look.

“A while ago, back in the first few months we met Y/N, I picked up one of those Impalas from her favorite show. I managed to get my hands on a signed copy, and I was going to give it to her sometime soon.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember that thing!”

“Yeah. So where is it?”

“Oh, it’s hidden in the tree. I didn’t want Y/N to find it, and I wanted you to finally give it to her instead of pussyfooting around like you always do, so I wrapped it up for you.”

“Are you serious?”

“Uh, yeah. You two have been driving me up the damn wall. Get your shit together and ask the girl out, or I’ll do it for you. Now get to bed, young man.”

Mason sighs, shaking his head before wrapping Swagger in a one-armed hug. Walking back to the living room, Mason scoops Y/N back into his arms and whispers a quiet ‘goodnight’ to the stragglers of the bunch. Pushing his door open with his foot, he gently pours Y/N into his bed, smiling as she snuggles into his side. Flicking off the lamp beside his bed, he presses a kiss to her forehead and holds her tight, falling asleep in seconds.

As the two snoozed under the dim fairy lights, the three musketeers, still humming along with their ninety-nine bottles, traipse up the stairs - bundles of tape and extra mistletoe in hand. Shuffling down the hallway,  they reach Mason’s door, and tape bundle upon bundle of mistletoe upon the door. Quiet drunken giggles follow their actions, the door now looking like it leads to a forest rather than a bedroom. Waving goodbye, the hooligans escape to their own rooms, anxiously awaiting both Christmas and the results of the door.

.. christmas day ..

Opening his door to join the waking world, Mason leaps back in a mixture of surprise and fear as the door spits mistletoe at his feet. Y/N shuffles in her sleep - thankfully not waking up - giving Mason the perfect opportunity to panic and to clean up the mess. Minutes later, the mess sits in Mason’s closet, and the duo lounges in the kitchen, Y/N working hard to make a good Christmas morning breakfast.

“I still think you should’ve used the weed butter in the muffins, Y/N,” Mason says, his voice muffled by one of said muffins.

“I wanted you scoundrels to enjoy them, not use them to get baked as fuck,” She replies, a slight scolding tone to her voice. “At least tell me if they’re bad - also, save some room for your actual breakfast, you heathen.”

Mason laughs, setting the other muffin back onto the plate. “I think they’re great, Y/N. Also - what the hell are you cooking for, a small army?”

“I might as well be, considering I’m feeding all of you.”

“Touche, touche.”

The duo sinks into a comfortable silence, the sounds of other bodies moving through the house and soft tones of Christmas music humming along with the sizzle of breakfast. As Y/N finishes her hard work, Mason helps her shuffle the completed dishes over to the island - tall stacks of fluffy pancakes, warm waffles, poppy-seed muffins, eggs, bacon, hash browns, and bowls of fruit accompany pitchers of water, juice, coffee, and -

“No, Mason, I swear to God. We are not drinking Red Bull at nine in the morning.”

Mason sulks, tucking the pitcher back into the fridge. Returning to the front of the room, the two grin at one another before sprinting in opposite directions to rally the rest of the house for breakfast.

 

“What I’d like to know is where the hell you managed to store all of the ingredients for this, especially from a bunch of stoners.”

“Well, Swagger,” Y/N smirks, a proud look on her face. “It’s really easy when half the stuff you’d usually buy in boxes - pancake and waffle mix, muffin packs, hash browns - are just made from scratch.”

Swagger stares at her, disbelief scrawling over his face. “I’m sorry, you made all this shit from scratch? How fuckin’ early did you wake up?”

“Mason woke up around five-thirty, and I got up around five forty-five.”

“So you made all this in, what, four hours?”

“Pretty much, yeah. Don’t expect this every morning though, I like my sleep.”

The crew laughs, cheering to Y/N's work. Breakfast slowly disappears from the table, the pitcher of Red Bull sneakily reappearing every so often. As the morning fades into the afternoon, the music gets louder, breakfast is cleared and cleaned up, and the real party begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy... REAL party hours next chapter....


	11. i'm off the deep end (watch as i dive in)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> party time oh shit..... and another step into new waters.

.. december 25 - 21:45 ..

Smoke floats from Cam's mouth, joining the cloud from the rest of the Misfits. Smooth rap beats flow through the speakers, and the crew cackles as Swagger blows smoke from the vents of his helmet. Food litters the coffee table, and more drugs shuffle around the room - yet Mason and Y/N hover just a few feet apart, completely sober out of fear of saying something they’d rather hide. Moving to the patio, the two take a brief reprieve from the stoney atmosphere, opting for oxygen rather than THC.

“You doing alright?”

Y/N nods, taking a sip of her water. “My parents were very strict when it came to drugs and alcohol, so even though I can legally drink and smoke here it still freaks me out.”

Mason nods, leaning against the railing of the patio. “That’s fair. Hey, does it bother you at all when I do any of that?”

“Not really. It’s your life, y’know? I’m not just going to barge in like an asshole and be like ‘don’t do that shit’ - that’d be fuckin rude.”

“Yeah, I gotcha. Gemma used to do that a lot - which also made her a raging hypocrite, considering what she did to me.”

Y/N turns towards Mason, an odd look on her face. “What _did_ she do?”

“She ... she put a cigarette out on my wrist once,” He sighs, turning said wrist towards Y/N. “On top of my damn tat as well.”

Y/N reaches out slowly, holding Mason’s wrist like it’d break with the slightest pressure. Gently tracing the scar tissue with her finger, she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding - and presses a soft kiss to the scar before pulling Mason into a tight hug.

“I won’t let her get to you, not like this,” Y/N whispers, her chest tight with anger. “What she did to you, I just-”

“I know, Y/N,” Mason soothes, his hands moving to pull her ever closer. “I know.”

They hover in that moment, the dull thump of music bleeding through the walls. Y/N clears her throat before drawing away and pulling her phone from her pocket.

“Do you feel like dancing?”

Mason smiles, and Y/N pulls _Shallow_ out from the depths of her music library. Cranking the volume, she sets her phone onto the railing before lacing her fingers behind Mason’s neck. Wrapping his arms around her lower back, the two shuffle closer, slowly rocking to the steady, warm rhythm. Mason softly sings to Y/N, his voice stunning her. She takes the female counterpart, and the duo blends perfectly in the chorus. As the tempo picks up, they dramatize the dance, swinging and swaying to the ballad. When the song comes to a close, Y/N and Mason stand chest to chest, faces inches apart. Their eyes lock, and Mason takes a deep breath before pressing his lips to Y/N's, smiling into the kiss as Y/N pushes herself further into him. They separate, and Y/N mirrors Mason’s familiar thousand-kilowatt smile - and Mason knows he made the right choice.

 

Walking back into the hotbox, the two of them hold hands while desperately trying to sneak past the group of stoned Misfits.

“Hey you two, we aren’t done yet! I know of a little gift hidden in the branches,” Swagger loudly proclaims, pulling a black box bound with a shimmering golden ribbon from the tree. Mason’s heart slams into his ribcage, his eyes darting from that damn black box to his - _his_ \- enchanting girl.

“Well, Mason? Gonna give the lovely girl her gift? It isn’t very nice to keep a lady waiting.”

Mason stumbles over through the trashed living room, plucking the box from Swagger’s grasp. Walking back to Y/N, he carefully sets it in her hands, a nervous but excited look on his face. Peering at the mystery package, Y/N slowly unties the ribbon and tears into the wrapping paper, a shocked expression forming.

“What do you think?”

Scouring every detail on that impeccable model - from the tiny scratches in the dashboard to Jensen _Fucking_ Ackles’ signature on the hood - she feels tears well up in her eyes. As she places the car on the coffee table, Mason opens his mouth to say something, but never gets the chance; Y/N's arms are already tight around him, Swagger grinning with delight as his plan was finally working - just not quite in the way he first intended.


	12. new year, new love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> grand finale! hope you guys enjoyed the ride. i know i did :)

.. december 31st - 20:00 ..

New Year’s Rockin’ Eve plays on the large flat screen, Panic! at the Disco’s performance pumping through the house. Drinks are held in loose grips, joints dangling from fingertips and chapped lips. Y/N slides into the room with a spoon, belting the lyrics along with the broadcast. Dancing with Matt, he spins her wildly into Mason’s awaiting arms, laughing at the ‘oof!’ they both let out at the impact. They sway together, movements exaggerated and excited as they fly around the room. Crashing onto the couch, Mason drapes his arm over Y/N's shoulder, bumping his head against hers. Reaching for their drinks, Y/N passes a can to Mason, giving it a small tap before cracking it open.

“T-minus four hours until the new year,” Y/N cheers, taking a sip. “However shall we celebrate the ball drop?”

Mason laughs, his drink in a loose grip. “I can kiss the teddy!”

Y/N lightly punches his shoulder, a grin on her face as she whispers into his ear. “How about you kiss me instead?”

The duo giggles, curling up closer on the couch as Ryan parades into the room with cartons upon cartons of take-out, the rest of the house cheering as the food is passed around.

Swagger stands on the raised platform of the fireplace, swaying as he hoists his beer into the air. “To chaos! And the Misfits, I guess.”

The crew hollers into the air, random alcoholic drinks sloshing as they toast. Swagger chugs his drink, tossing the can towards the garbage can in the center of the kitchen. Missing by a mile, he grumbles before searching for more beer. Y/N parts from Mason, squeezing his shoulder before following Swagger into the kitchen.

“So, Swagger, what are you thinking about doing for the ball drop?”

He freezes. “Uh... I’m gonna hit the bong, obviously! Gotta start the new year with a ‘bong’, right?”

Y/N raises an eyebrow, Swagger’s panic painted on his face. “Spill your beans, Swags. We don’t keep secrets. We’re practically siblings, dude.”

He sighs, setting down his latest can before rubbing his hands over his face. “Promise you won’t tell Cam?”

Y/N's heart stops for a moment. “Of course.”

“I want to kiss him once the ball drops.”

 

.. 22:50 ..

“SWEET CAROLINE -”

“BUM BUM BAAAAAAM!”

Neil Diamond’s iconic hit is playing, easily overshadowed by the drunken howls of the crew. Swaying back and forth - arms wrapped around torsos and over shoulders - the Misfits dance stupidly, breaking apart into pairs to really get into the groove. Poor imitations of 60s and 70s era dance moves ensue, laughter breaking into the vocals. Modern music floats back into the room as the song comes to an end, Mason and Y/N escaping to the porch to keep dancing. _She Looks So Perfect_ plays from Y/N's phone, and Mason wheezes as Y/N headbangs along with the classic. His heart blossoms with warmth as he joins her, their laughter building as their bodies collide every so often. Twisting and twirling to the different songs, they collapse onto the porch, tired limbs and heaving lungs fighting to keep up with the antics.

“You know,” Mason huffs. “You kicked my team’s ass by sprinting like a maniac around the laser tag course, yet you’re sitting next to me looking like you’re about to pass out.”

Y/N wheezes out a laugh. “Honey, that was all adrenaline. If I didn’t feel like I was about to fight a war I probably would’ve passed the fuck out halfway through the match.”

“Still, I’m impressed.”

“Is that so?”

“It was kind of hot, honestly,” Mason says, slumping until his head fell in Y/N's lap. “Being held at gunpoint by you? Terrifying and attractive all at once.”

“You just like flirting with death, babe.”

Mason laughs, the honeyed tone infecting Y/N. Combing her fingers through his hair, she quietly laughs to herself at his content expression.

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“What is it, Macey?”

“When you first showed up at the airport all these months ago, I did _not_ know how to react.”

Y/N raises an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yeah. Y/N, I always thought you were pretty. But seeing you in person-”

“Even in my dirty hoodie and sweatpants?”

“-Yes, even looking like a garbage dump, I still thought you were gorgeous.”

Y/N's face turns redder than a stoplight. “So that’s why you were so out of it? I thought you were just baked as fuck.”

“Surprise!”

Y/N laughs at the soft tone in his voice. Resting her back on the glass patio barrier, she points to the sky, rattling off the random names of constellations she miraculously remembers from her 11th grade astronomy class. Mason grins at her knowledge, laughing at her irritation when he messes with the names. Shifting to sit between her legs, he rests his head on her chest and holds her hands in his, a content hum emanating from him as Y/N's arms hold him close.

“You better not fall asleep on me, rocketman,” Y/N teases. “We’ve still got another hour to go.”

“I promise I won’t sleep through the celebration.”

“I won’t let you, smelly man.”

 

.. 23:59 ..

“Where’s the champagne?”

Mason rolls the bottles to Matt, an excited jolt in his footsteps. Throwing his arm over Y/N's shoulders, he cheers with the crew as the clock ticks one second closer to the new year.

“TEN!”

The atmosphere builds, anxious shivers and drunken happiness filling the Manor.

“NINE!”

Swagger shifts closer to Cam, their hands bumping together.

“EIGHT!”

Toby and Jay help Matt with the champagne, vigorously shaking the bottles.

“SEVEN!”

Mason and Y/N huddle closer together, matching grins cracking across their faces.

“SIX!”

Swagger takes Cam’s hand, an odd look forming on his face.

“FIVE!”

“FOUR!”

“THREE!”

The Manor practically vibrates with excited energy, the Misfits growing ever more eager.

“TWO!”

“ONE!”

_“HAPPY FUCKING NEW YEAR!”_

Mason presses his lips to Y/N's, his grip tight on her back. They separate just in time to catch Cam and Swagger locking lips, the rest of the team howling in excitement. And at that moment, Y/N knew she was home - even though her real hometown was thousands of miles away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you thank you THANK YOU for reading this. i finished this fanfiction literal seconds before it hit the two week mark of time. i spent many a late night (and working during school days) to complete this. 
> 
> so really. from the bottom of my little gay baby heart. thank you.
> 
> -riss.


End file.
